In the week ending Dec. 6, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial
claims was 573,000, an increase of 58,000 from the previous week's revised
figure of 515,000. The 4-week moving average was 540,500, an increase of 14,250
from the previous week's revised average of 526,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.3 percent
for the week ending Nov. 29, an increase of 0.2 percentage point from the prior
week's unrevised rate of 3.1 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during
the week ending Nov. 29 was 4,429,000, an increase of 338,000 from the preceding
week's revised level of 4,091,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,133,500,
an increase of 130,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,002,750.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted,
totaled 757,481 in the week ending Dec. 6, an increase of 221,735 from the previous
week. There were 423,130 initial claims in the comparable week in 2007.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.4 percent during the
week ending Nov. 29, an increase of 0.7 percentage point from the prior week.
The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs
totaled 4,490,760, an increase of 837,333 from the preceding week. A year earlier,
the rate was 2.0 percent and the volume was 2,623,051.

Extended benefits were available in North Carolina and Rhode Island during the week ending Nov. 22.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,665 in the week ending Nov. 29, a decrease of 291 from the prior week. There were 1,275 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 555 from the preceding week.

There were 15,656 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Nov. 22, an increase of 107 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 22,286, a decrease of 2,139 from the prior week.

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Nov. 29 were in Wisconsin (+16,331), Iowa (+6,240), Arkansas (+1,509), Mississippi (+1,398), and North Dakota (+1,391), while the largest decreases were in California (-20,304), Florida (-8,626), Missouri (-8,347), Michigan (-7,323), and Texas (-7,129).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Dec. 6

Nov. 29

Change

Nov. 22

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

573,000

515,000

+58,000

531,000

337,000

Initial Claims
(NSA)

757,481

535,746

+221,735

609,138

423,130

4-Wk Moving Average
(SA)

540,500

526,250

+14,250

518,500

339,750

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 29

Nov. 22

Change

Nov. 15

Year

Ins. Unemployment
(SA)

4,429,000

4,091,000

+338,000

3,998,000

2,642,000

Ins. Unemployment
(NSA)

4,490,760

3,653,427

+837,333

3,782,040

2,623,051

4-Wk Moving Average
(SA)

4,133,500

4,002,750

+130,750

3,938,000

2,623,000

Ins. Unemployment
Rate (SA)2

3.3%

3.1%

+0.2

3.0%

2.0%

Ins. Unemployment Rate
(NSA)2

3.4%

2.7%

+0.7

2.8%

2.0%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 29

Nov. 22

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,665

1,956

-291

1,993

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,275

1,830

-555

1,766

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS
(UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 22

Nov. 15

Change

Year

Federal Employees

15,656

15,549

+107

17,625

Newly Discharged Veterans

22,286

24,425

-2,139

25,579

Railroad RetirementBoard

3,000

3,000

0

3,000

Extended Benefits

130

127

+3

0

EUC 2008

673,949

709,898

-35,949

0

FOOTNOTESSA - Seasonally Adjusted DataNSA -
Not Seasonally Adjusted Data1 - Prior year is comparable
to most recent data.2 - Most recent week used covered employment of 133,902,387 as denominator.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 11/29/2008

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-20,304

Fewer layoffs in the service industry.

FL

-8,626

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing
industries.

MO

-8,347

Fewer layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.

MI

-7,323

Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.

TX

-7,129

Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and transportation industries.

GA

-5,044

Fewer layoffs in the textile, carpets/rugs, and manufacturing
industries.

TN

-4,981

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

IL

-4,978

Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.

VA

-4,414

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

NJ

-3,324

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing
industries.

AZ

-3,003

No comment.

AL

-2,731

Fewer layoffs in the textile and trade industries.

NC

-2,556

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.

OH

-2,145

No comment.

NY

-1,966

Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and transportation industries.

MD

-1,616

No comment.

CO

-1,554

No comment.

NV

-1,510

No comment.

OK

-1,293

No comment.

PA

-1,229

Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment and manufacturing
industries.

LA

-1,091

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

OR

+1,040

Layoffs in the trade, service, public administration, and
manufacturing industries.

ID

+1,094

No comment.

ND

+1,391

Layoffs in the construction, industrial machinery, and manufacturing
industries.

MS

+1,398

Layoffs in the automobile, service, and manufacturing industries.

AR

+1,509

Layoffs in the lumber/wood, industrial machinery, and electrical
equipment industries.

IA

+6,240

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

WI

+16,331

Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing
industries.